In a chef-obsessed world, it's easy to believe that the key to a successful restaurant is the kitchen.

But when a nearly 14-year-old restaurant with an unconventional menu posts a 12 percent annual increase in sales during a stubborn recession — and still counts itself as one of the hottest restaurants in the city — there's more to the story than good cooking.

"Hospitality," says Josh Wolkon, owner of Vesta Dipping Grill in Denver's LoDo neighborhood. "It's not just the food. Denver has seen some excellent restaurants come and go over the years. They had the food part down, but they did not develop a long-lasting culture of loyalty and hospitality that keeps people coming back."

In Wolkon's case, as in many restaurants, the burden of creating that culture of hospitality falls not on the folks in the kitchen but on the folks out front.

"My favorite thing is to work the floor," says Wolkon, 39. "I like to sit at tables. Schmooze. Talk to customers. For the first 10 years at Vesta, that's all I did."

Wolkon was, in his words, "young enough and dumb enough" to open Vesta in his 20s, an idea he'd nursed since high school. "I always liked the idea of being able to have all of your favorite foods at your fingertips," says the Boston native. "Eventually I realized it was more about throwing a party, and I like parties."

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A post-college move from Boston to Boulder in 1993 followed by short stints cooking at catering outfits and breweries solidified his resolve to run his own show. Wolkon wrote a business plan, gathered investment (with help from family, friends and a food- obsessed banker who helped secure a loan from the Small Business Administration — "SBA lending was actually aggressive at the time," he says) and began scouring available real estate. When Boulder proved too expensive, his agent suggested less-pricey Denver.

"I didn't know Denver very well," Wolkon says, "but I really believed in what I saw in LoDo. There was a character and energy to it. If I'd ever envisioned what Vesta was going to look like — high ceilings, exposed beams — it was all here."

He secured a location on Blake Street, enlisted local designers and builders to help with architecture and design, and opened Vesta in July 1997.

For Wolkon, it was a dive into the deep end. "Of course it was scary. But really, I had nothing to lose. If I lost all my investment, I would just be 25 and broke, like everyone else who's 25 and broke."

But things didn't turn out that way. Vesta Dipping Grill, a high-concept idea in a still- wobbly neighborhood, was a hit straight out of the gate.

(Charles Park
)

Almost.

"The first year was rough," Wolkon says. "It took time. When we first opened, 80 percent of the menu was skewers. Plain food on skewers and sauces to dip them in. It was a nightmare. Trying to do medium-rare beef on a skewer that also has cherry tomatoes? Nightmare."

The key was hiring chef Matt Selby, then just 21 and fresh from the recently shuttered Top Hat in Cherry Creek. Selby started as sous chef, but, Wolkon says, "early on, it was obvious Matty was special. He's like a walking food dictionary. He has an incredible palate and work ethic." Wolkon quickly promoted Selby to head cook, and the relationship's been a virtual partnership since. "I consider Selby my partner."

Selby nudged Vesta's skewer- heavy menu into "fork and knife" entrees with more highly developed flavor profiles. "That's where we ran into a challenge," Wolkon says. "People had come to like us for our sauces, but the tenderloin entree did not need sauces. So we took the sauces off of some entrees. People started flipping out on us."

Wolkon and Selby listened. The suite of sauces — along with the more developed entrees — remained.

No televisions. Proudly.

So, too, did the vibrant atmosphere Wolkon fostered from the beginning. "I have a love for social dining. A meal that you go out for. Not just to eat but to go out."

Steuben's. (Denver Post file photo )

And not to watch a game: "I am proud we have never had a television in Vesta. Guests will just stare at a screen if you have it on. I love to promote conversation and interaction."

By its second year, Vesta was a phenomenon. Nearly a decade and a half of full reservations books and steady growth ensued. Selby's innovative and precise dishes placed him among Denver's elite cooks. And while the menu has seen some changes along the way, including an expansion under recently appointed executive chef Brandon Foster, Wolkon's initial vision for Vesta has remained largely intact.

Wolkon, father of two boys (Zach, 7, and Ezra, 5), spends as much time as he can at the restaurant, taking its temperature and connecting with customers. "I love asking guests what could be better about the restaurant. Force them to complain about things."

Selby admires Wolkon's deep reservoir of energy. "His work ethic is the best I've ever seen," Selby says. "New employees are shocked to see him bus a table or seat a guest. Josh can always be found at one of the restaurants."

Wolkon's presence on the floor helps him foster a unique (and rare) sense of camaraderie and respect between the kitchen and the "front of the house" staff. His secret weapon: cocktails. "We do a shift drink. We encourage our staff to sit at the bar after a shift and have a drink with each other. It's sometimes the only time a server gets to sit next to a line cook and talk."

"A great year"

Wolkon answered the recent recession with a tweak of Vesta's menu — and its message. "Everybody in the industry was looking at the economy and how people dined. It's no secret that small plates, and more sharing, was how people wanted to eat. We did the biggest menu change we've ever done — a whole lot more small plates and $2 appetizers." The goal? To encourage more business from neighborhood residents, especially early in the week.

"It's been an outstanding change," says Wolkon. "Who really knows the rhymes or reasons why business goes up and down, but we've had a great year," he says. "While I would never wish such an economic downturn again, I do believe those business that survived are stronger, more efficient."

"Our roles have evolved so much since we opened Vesta," Selby says. "Now with two restaurants, and all the right people in the right places to operate them, it's not as vital that we are in Vesta every single night. But regardless of a 6 a.m. office start, a late night or a multiproject day, Josh will still dig down and hit the floor."

Vesta, then Steubens, then ...

In 2007, Josh Wolkon and his team opened Steuben's Food Service in Denver's Uptown neighborhood. The venture has since eclipsed Vesta in terms of number of people served (5,000 patrons a week versus 1,500 at Vesta, according to Wolkon). Executive chef Brandon Biederman executes Steuben's eclectic menu of regional comfort foods from around the country. In 2010 they also launched the Steuben's Food Truck.

Will Wolkon and Co. expand further?

"Vesta was my only dream," Wolkon says. "Steuben's came about when this crew was getting complacent and needed to grow. I expect that we'll hit that place again."

A good neighbor

Actively connecting with the neighborhood is part of the culture of Vesta. A commitment to community projects — including longtime relationships with Urban Peak, Share Our Strength and the Boys & Girls Club — earned the restaurant a Good Neighbor award from the National Restaurant Association in 2008. "A successful restaurant becomes an important part of the community," Wolkon says. "Giving back to that community is part of what it means to do business. And it feels good."

Rolling with the critics

Vesta has divided critics over the years. Early lauds from fans like Bill St. John at The Denver Post and Greg Moody at 5280 magazine gave Vesta a jump-start in its first year. "Suddenly, we were twice as busy," owner Josh Wolkon says. "Everything changed."

Other critics (including me in 2006) have taken Vesta to task, characterizing the dipping concept as clever but cloying. But Wolkon never flinched.

"It's not easy" to get a bad review, Wolkon says. "But even if you disagree with half of it, you have to open your eyes to it. From a management standpoint, I use it as motivation. There's always been a confidence among the staff here about where they work. As long as the seats are full every night, we're not going to worry about what The Denver Post says."

As the universe of critics expands on the Internet, Wolkon tries to keep pace. "We do keep track of what's being written online. But I don't think that online comments have as big an effect on your business as you yourself do, in your own restaurant. You can't forget what your real purpose is." Tucker Shaw

Directions
Pour 1 cup of the marinade over the pork and combine by hand. Save the remaining 1/2 cup marinade to brush the meat while grilling. Marinate the pork overnight.

Preheat a grill to medium heat. Generously season both sides of each piece of pork to taste with salt and pepper. Oil the grill and then place the tenderloins on the grill. Rule of thumb for medium-rare pork (yes, medium rare) is to flip the tenderloin at 4-minute intervals to cook it evenly and leave great grill marks. Brush occasionally with marinade.

When the pork is cooked to medium-rare (reaches at least 140 degrees on a meat thermometer) or more, remove it from the grill and allow the meat to rest about 10 minutes. This will ensure the juices settle into the meat, rather than spilling onto your cutting board with the first slice.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of rice onto the center of each of 4 plates. Slice the pork into medallions and position them on the rice. Drizzle some lime crema over each dish and place 1/4 cup of mojito onions over the pork. Crumble queso fresco over each dish and finish with the fresh oregano to garnish. Serve with: Spicy Ancho Sauce, Salsa Verde, or Tropical Fruit-Chili Crush (see recipes).

Sofrito Marinade

Note: Tomato powder, also called Caldo de Tomate, is available at Latino markets and in the ethnic aisles of some local supermarkets. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Pour the vegetable oil into a large saute pan and add the garlic. Toast over high heat, stirring constantly. When the garlic begins to color, lower the heat and cook on very low heat until the slivers are dark golden brown.

Transfer the garlic and the oil to a large skillet and add the onion. Sweat over medium-low heat until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the sausage and cook until the edges are browned.

Add the rice and water and mix thoroughly. Add the tomato powder and saffron and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and then with a lid. Bake in the 350- degree oven for 20 minutes.

Directions
In a large stockpot, combine the onions, the juice of two of the limes, the sugars and the rum. Add just enough water to cover the onions. Stir well to start dissolving the sugar and place the pot on the stove; bring to a boil and stir frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved. Be careful not to burn the mixture on the bottom. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the onions are soft and translucent (1-2 hours).

Strain the onions and spread them out evenly on a plate. Place in refrigerator to cool. Once cool, combine the onions in a mixing bowl with the remaining lime juice and fresh mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Directions
In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except for lime juice, salt and pepper. Simmer mixture over medium-high heat until all of the ingredients are soft and cooked through (about 20 minutes). Regulate the heat so the sauce does not scorch, and if necessary add a little water as the sauce cooks. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.

Transfer the sauce to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the lime juice and season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Store chilled up to 7 days).

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